Something Witchy This Way Flies
by redjagglerock
Summary: A very irate Lt. Colonel has the troops on edge.


_A/N: I despise real life right now. I promise I will get back to writing as soon as I have a chance. I promise I don't mean to keep all of you waiting, but my frame of mind lately has been rather depressing. I had most of this written before I found out I was going to lose another furbaby, and wanted to at least get part of it posted before Halloween. I lost my eldest dog last year, and he was my baby, even at 14. I found out a little while ago that I will be losing my youngest one also, who is only 9 ½, to kidney disease. It is just a matter of time, and most likely sooner rather than later. We've been trying to keep him going for a little bit, but he has too many factors working against him. I totally have to disagree with Sturgis, losing a car is nothing like losing a dog. _

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This takes place in Season 7, shortly after Capital Crime.

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**Something Witchy This Way Flies**

**Chapter 1: Flight Testing**

Harms steps off the elevator, and turns to go through the double glass doors leading to JAG Ops. He is just returning from a week long TAD to the USS Patrick Henry, and he has really missed Mac. He can't wait to see her. Prior to his departure for this investigation into the replenishing mishap, they were spending almost every evening after work together. It didn't matter if they were watching a movie, eating dinner, or simply going over cases. He was just happy to be spending extra time with her. He was hoping that it was finally about time for them to have a discussion regarding where their relationship was heading.

He inwardly chuckles at the conversation he had with Sturgis while he was aboard the ship. Poor Sturgis had no clue how to handle Mac's premonitions. Even before said visions had saved his life when he was lost at sea, Harm had long ago learned not to question his partner. Although her methods are definitely a bit unorthodox at times, her gut is usually right. He also would be an extreme hypocrite if he judged her odd ways of dealing with cases since he has been known to perform some crazy schemes in order to prove a point himself. After all, he was the one who set off an automatic weapon in the courtroom. He has also been known to rely on the knowledge of ghosts, like when he followed Lt. Tate to get himself, Mac, and the Alameda officer imposter, aka KGB Agent Falcon, off the USS Hornet.

Before Harm can enter Ops, he almost runs headfirst into Sturgis.

Sturgis places a hand on Harm's shoulder, and he has a wary expression on his face, "Harm, I wouldn't go in there right now."

Harm cocks an eyebrow, and questions, "Why?"

Sturgis states, "Just trust me, buddy, you don't want to be in that bullpen, or your office at the present moment."

Harm chuckles, "What? Are you still afraid of her hocus pocus?"

Sturgis shakes his head vehemently, "No, I've learned to deal with her hokum, but she is totally off her rocker today."

Concerned, Harm asks, "What did you do to her?"

Sturgis gapes, "Me? I didn't do anything. I was going to ask the same of you."

Before Harm has a chance to respond, you can hear the telltale signs of a very irate Marine Colonel. In her best Drill Sergeant impression, Harm and Sturgis hear, "Lt. Roberts, if I wanted an excuse, I would have asked for one. Now go find me a damn witness, or some evidence that will fix this mess! Dismissed!" Her tirade is followed by the slamming of her office door.

As Bud scampers to his desk, the Admiral has come out of his own office due to the clamor. Chegwidden starts to head towards Colonel MacKenzie's office, when he sees Turner and Rabb standing by the elevators. He walks over to them and inquires, "Do either of you know what is going on?"

They both smartly shake their heads in the negative. The Admiral nods, and says, "Commander Rabb, let's talk in my office."

Harm is starting to regret stopping by here before recovering from his jet lag from the trip home. He quickly replies, "Aye, Aye, Sir."

Sturgis turns to hit the button on the elevator, and the Admiral tells him, "Don't go anywhere Sturgis, I want to see you next."

Sturgis sighs, "Yes, Sir. When you need me, I'll be hiding in my office."

Harm drops his cover and his briefcase with Tiner, and follows the Admiral into his inner sanctum. The Admiral says, "Close the hatch, Commander, and then have a seat."

Harm is wondering if the junior JAG Officer on the Patrick Henry, Lt. Yeun, reported to the Admiral that he dissented with Harm's conclusions regarding the mishap. Harm had opted not to file charges against anyone, as he deemed the incident to purely be an accident, and that the crew would learn from their mistakes that had caused the event to occur. After all, the ship was in a war zone. Things were busy, especially flight ops, and tensions were high. The junior JAG officer had felt that someone needed to be held accountable, and Harm had not agreed with his assessment. Captain Ingalls was fully prepared to make himself available for an Article 32 hearing, but Harm had completely dismissed that thought. Harm decides to hear the Admiral out first, before he starts to defend his conclusions on the case. He is totally unprepared for the next words out of the Admiral's mouth.

The Admiral gets straight to the point, and inquires, "Commander, have you been pushing the Colonel's buttons again?"

Harm lifts his eyebrows clear to his hairline, "Uh. No, Sir. I just got back from my investigation. I haven't even spoken to the Colonel."

The Admiral continues, "And the two of you didn't converse while you were on the Patrick Henry?"

Harm replies, "No, Sir. I talked to Sturgis, briefly, when they were investigating Commander Aikin's murder, but I haven't talked to Mac since before I left."

The Admiral curiously asks, "Why did you talk to Sturgis?"

Harm hesitates for a minute, not wanting to divulge too much information, before he remembers that the Admiral is fully aware of the power of Mac's visions. The Admiral was the one who sang her praises regarding her abilities the night that Harm was treading water in the cold Atlantic. If the Admiral hadn't offered his blessing to Captain Ingalls on Mac's suggested coordinates, Harm might never have been found, and would have perished at sea.

Harm answers, "Um. Sturgis wasn't quite sure how to deal with Mac when she was using visions to try to solve their case."

Chegwidden grumbles, "Well, it seems the Colonel has set aside her celestial callings, and decided to do the devil's bidding instead."

Harm inquires, "Sir?"

The Admiral adds, "Her angel wings are in the repair shop, and she has decided to ride a broomstick instead!"

Harm attempts to hide his thoughts about how many inches Mac's skirt would need to rise for her to properly mount a broomstick.

Harm tries hard not to smile, "Mac's riding a broomstick, Sir?"

The Admiral states, "She must be. Or could you not hear her screaming at poor Bud a few moments ago?"

Harm winces, "I heard, Sir. She did sound a tad bit unhappy."

The Admiral continues, "She has been in this….mood…for three days now. At first, I thought it was one of those women things, but I am now convinced there is something witchy going on here."

Harm smiles, "Mac is not a witch, Sir."

The Admiral grouches, "Ha! You could have fooled me. She is starting to remind me of that woman in the car insurance commercial who keeps flight testing brooms. Hell, for all I know she has tried every one in the factory, she just hasn't found the right fit yet."

Harm laughs, "I can't see Mac willingly agreeing to flight test anything. Unlike me, she isn't a fan of pulling a few G's."

The Admiral grimaces, "That's true. Although after my last trip in your plane, I can't say that I disagree with her. Anyway, anything that you could do to help improve her disposition would be greatly appreciated. I fear if it doesn't clear up soon, I am going to have a stack of transfer requests on my desk."

Harm replies, "Understood, Sir. Will that be all?"

The Admiral rubs his hands over his bald head, "Almost, Commander. I would like your final report on the mishap investigation by the end of the day."

Harm stands up, and replies "Aye,Aye,Sir," before being dismissed.

The Admiral buzzes his yeoman, "Tiner, ask Commander Turner to come to my office please. And bring me some damn aspirin!"

Tiner dials Commander Turner's extension, but he doesn't get an answer. He debates for a moment whether to try again in a couple of minutes or to go look for him. On one hand, the Admiral doesn't like to be kept waiting. On the other hand, he doesn't want to have to walk past Colonel MacKenzie's office right now. Normally, the wrath of Admiral Chegwidden is bad enough, but he doesn't even want to be within any form of proximity to Mac right now. She is far scarier at the moment. Before he has a chance to determine his fate, he sees CDR Turner coming out of the men's room. He motions the Commander over with hand signals, and advises him that the Admiral is ready to see him.

Sturgis reaches Tiner's desk, and chuckles, "What's the matter, Tiner? Afraid to walk past the lion's den?"

Tiner quietly replies, "I'm just trying not getting too close. I've heard that Halloween is the best day to kill someone, and leave them in a chair on your porch. Everyone will just think it's a costume."

Sturgis laughs out loud at the silly Petty Officer, "Tiner, it is only January. I think that you will be safe for another ten months or so."

Tiner replies, "Hmmph. I wouldn't be so sure. Witchcraft works in mysterious ways."

Sturgis walks into the Admiral's office, "Commander Turner, reporting as ordered, Sir."

The Admiral pops a couple of aspirin, "Have a seat, Sturgis."

Sturgis takes the offered seat, but he is anything but comfortable. He has an idea of what has caused the Colonel to be in her mood, but he is sworn to secrecy. If asked, he isn't sure what he is going to tell the Admiral. Even if Mac hadn't threatened him with bodily injury if he revealed her secret, he still wouldn't breathe a whisper of what she told him. His word is his bond. A virtue long ago instilled in him being a chaplain's son.

The Admiral notices him fidgeting and asks, "What's going on, Sturgis?"

Sturgis decides to try and play it off, "With what, Admiral?"

The Admiral runs his hands over his head, "With Mac. You worked the last case with her, and CDR Rabb already mentioned what happened with that. Outside of her unusual methods of gathering information, did she seem off to you at all?"

Sturgis fidgets in his seat before replying, "No, not really, Sir."

Chegwidden gives him a hard, fixed stare, "Commander, you are squirming. What aren't you telling me?"

Sturgis sighs, "The Colonel inadvertently divulged some personal information to me, and I think she is working on coming to terms with it."

The Admiral instantly becomes concerned, "It isn't health related, is it?"

Sturgis responds, "No, Sir. And I really can't say any more on the subject. I gave her my word."

To say that the Admiral isn't happy would be an understatement, but he also knows that pressing CDR Turner any further isn't going to do him any good either. He can be more stoic than Rabb, and that is saying something. Frustrated he states, "All right, Sturgis. I'm not usually one to pry into my officer's personal lives. However, when it starts to disrupt this office, I feel compelled to get involved. So, I would advise that you find a way to let the Colonel know to keep it out of MY office. This is not a request."

Sturgis, fearing the fury of Mac, ekes, "Aye, Aye, Sir."

Sturgis returns to his desk, and contemplates how he is going to comply with the Admiral's order. There is no way in the world that he is going to knock on Mac's door right now. Even if she wasn't likely to bite his head off, he wouldn't want to risk Harm overhearing the conversation. If that happened, she would likely bite off something more vital, and it wouldn't be his six. He shudders at the mere thought.


End file.
